Cotton-picking device



(No Model.)

G. N. TODD. COTTON PIOKING DEVICE.

Patented Mar. 18, 1890.

N. PEYERS, Phulvulhognnh UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE N. TODD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TODD COTTON HARYESTER COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

COTTON-PICKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 423,537, dated March 18, 1890.

Application filed May 9,1885. Serial No. 164,877. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEoRo N. Tom), a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have in:

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Devices, of which the following is-a specification.

This invention relates to cotton picking devices in which the pickingteeth and the IQ guards preventing the teeth from injuring the cotton bush or boll are raised out of sheet metal.

The objects of this invention are to raise or cut out of sheet metal teeth arranged in :5 series and of such a configuration that the body or shank of the tooth shall constitute a guard, preventing the point of the same tooth injuring a cotton bush or boll, which guard will likewise perform the same office for the point of the tooth next in the rear thereof and also on each side of a line through the length of any one tooth of a series.

A further object is to increase the stiffness of the metal to a degree materially strengthening the tooth and better adapting it to resist strains tending to injure the tooth.

A further obj ectis to provide aooiton-picking device with teeth and guards having the above-described characteristics adapted for I both straight and spiral cylindrical, as well as flat picking devices.

I attain these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a top plan View of a 3 5 flat picking device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same in longitudinal section through a row of teeth. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same adapted to a picker-stem; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sec- 'tion through one of the teeth, shown on a larger scale. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are transverse sections on the lines w :r, y y, and z 2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 represents a-face view of a blank from which a modification of my picking device is formed; Fig. 9, aside elevation there- 'of, showingthe blank mounted upon a central shaft prior to forming the picking-teeth; and Fig. 10, a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the teeth bent into proper form for operation.

- Similar letters of referenceindicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

with the bases of the triangles or shanks of the teeth continuous with the teeth. These teeth are preferably cut in straight rows with the points of all the teeth extending in the same direction, and with the teeth of each row alternating with those of the adjacent row, as shown in Fig. 1. All of these teeth, by primary or secondary stamping or upsetting process, are convexed on their outer surface, as shown at b, Fig. 4, and prior or at the same time have their shanks c bent at substantially a right angle to the plane of thepicking device, and their points bent forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle to the surface of said device, so as to form on each tooth a guard (1, extending outward and beyond the point of the tooth and also the. points of all other teeth in the series, and this method of forming the teeth is also employed in the construction shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the said teeth being identical in form with those out out of the sheet-metal blanks shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive. By bending the points of the teeth at an oblique angle, as described, they are brought below the surface of the guards, which are thereby rendered more effective in operation, and, besides, the teeth will not only better hold and retain the cotton during the gathering process, but are better adapted to resist strains tending to raise them above the guards or straighten them out at a right angle to the picking suro face.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the teeth are concavo-convex both longitudinally and transversely of their lengththat is, they curve both from their shanks to 5 their points and from side to side-forming in substance hollow hook-shaped teeth, with the outer or contact-surfaces thereof rounded or convened, so as to avoid injuring the bushes and bolls, which construction also serves to effect the equally important result of bracing the teeth against a strain tending to bend or straighten them, for the arching of the teeth transversely of their length from point to shank provides strengthening wings, extending along and constituting the sides of the teeth the entire length thereof, materially bracing them against both longitudinal and lateral flexure. Besides these results, the tooth is given a spring-resisting action with a given thickness of metal, which it wouldnot have if angular or straight in cross-section.

In applying my invention to cylindrical picker-stems having a spiral form, teeth of the character above described may be formed on strips of metal wound about said stems.

In Figs. 8, 9, and I have shown a modi-v fication of my device, in which the'teeth'are that the guards f, formed by bending the teeth as in the other form, not only guard their contiguous teeth, but also those of the adjacent annular plate in substantially the same manner as is done where the teeth and guards are raised out of the face of sheet metal, as before described.

In the several forms of teeth and guards shown there are certain features common to all, amongwhich are, first, a combined guard and tooth; second, an increase of strength of the tooth in excess of the normal strength of i the metal, whereby the tooth is better enabled to resist particular strains tending to diminish or destroy'its effectiveness, and, third, that the point of each tooth is relatively arranged in such a manner with reference to the next tooth and guard in advance and on such an angle or curve that it not only takes hold of the ripe cotton, but retains.

In conit against accidental detachment. nection with the last feature it should be observed, and will also be seen by reference to i the drawings, that when cotton is forced under and back of the point of the teeth it will expand, owing to the enlarged space between the under side of the tooth and its shank and the plane of the support for the teeth,

which expansion serves to lock the cotton in the tooth.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

A cotton-picking device having a surface provided with a series of teeth concavo-convex, both laterally and longitudinallyof their length, substantially as described, in combination with guards formed on said teeth, and rising in a plane above the points thereof, as

set forth.

GEORGE N. TODD.

Witnesses:

JNo. G. ELLIOTT, W. W. ELLIOTT. 

